Governor Lujan Grisham says her duty to uphold her oath to the constitution is “not absolute” pic.twitter.com/Mla4rcNXMX
— Beau Hightower (@beauhightowerdn) September 8, 2023
Q: You took an oath to the Constitution. Isn’t it unconstitutional to say, ‘You cannot exercise your carry license’?
A: With one exception. And that is, if there’s an emergency, and I’ve declared an emergency for a temporary amount of time. I can invoke additional powers. No constitutional right, in my view, including my oath, is intended to be absolute. There are restrictions on free speech. There are restrictions on my freedoms.
In this emergency, this eleven-year-old, and all these parents who have lost all these children, they deserve my attention. To have the debate about whether or not, in an emergency, we can create a safer environment.
Because what about their constitutional rights? I took an oath to uphold those, too. And if we ignore this growing problem, without being bold, I’ve said to every other New Mexican, ‘Your rights are subrogated to theirs.’ And they are not, in my view.
Q: Wait a minute. You’re talking about crimes. There are already laws against crimes so how are their rights…
A: But again, if I’m unsafe, who’s standing up for that right? If this climate is so out of control, somebody should do something. I’m doing as much as I know to do.
— New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham attempting to justify her suspension of the Second Amendment right to bear arms under an “emergency” declaration